Ocean Eyes
by Starian NightZz
Summary: The retelling of Free!, only with Haru as a girl. High school had never been so stressful for Nanase Haruka before. At least not until a certain redhead had returned, and thus, her entire life was turned upside down with her best friend and her rival vying for her affections. Eventual Makoto/Haru
1. Reunion

_Summary:_

_The retelling of Free!, only with Haru as a girl. High school had never been so stressful for Nanase Haruka before. At least not until a certain redhead had returned, and thus, her entire life was turned upside down with her best friend and her rival vying for her affections. Eventual Makoto/Haru_

**Pairings:** Makoto/Haru. Nagisa/Rei. Mikoshiba/Gou

**Warnings:** AU Universe. OOC. Gender swap. More expressive Haru. Jealous Rin. Jealous Makoto.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Free! and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter One: Reunion**

"_I'll show you a sight that you've never seen before." - Matsuoka Rin_

**XXXXXX**

"_Are you sure that you're not secretly a stalker or something?" Nanase Haruka or Haru to her family and close friends was annoyed, nearly glaring at the grinning redhead standing across her, arms behind his head._

_Sounds of water splashing and the loud roars from their demon of a coach echoed across the pool complex of their swimming club. On either side of Haru, Tachibana Makoto and Hazuki Nagisa exchanged semi confused and amused looks._

_From day one ever since a certain Matsuoka Rin had enrolled as a transfer student in Haru and Makoto's class in their elementary school, and had even somehow 'coincidentally' joined the Iwatobi Swimming Club, Haru had never taken to him, unlike so many of their classmates and club mates. In fact, she glares at him if he so much as twitched wrong or even __**breathed**__ in her direction._

_Honestly, Makoto has no idea what Rin had done to step on Haru's toes as well, since she is usually quite impassive. And he had never seen Haru dislike someone so much as she did Rin, and he'd known Haru ever since they were in their diapers, as their parents were friends ever since their high school days, and thus, have often made play dates for their children._

_Like on one school day when Haru and Makoto's elementary school teacher had told them to draw a picture of what they imagined themselves doing ten years from now, and Rin had ended up in a group with Haru, Makoto and another girl. If looks could kill, Rin would be six feet under._

"_Why, whatever could you be talking about?" Matsuoka Rin grinned innocently._

_Haru stared blankly at him for several moments before apparently deciding that talking to him is a waste of her breath and decided to go for another round in the pool instead. She could never get enough of the water that several of her friends, Makoto included, have wondered if Haru is not secretly a dolphin._

"_Ah, wait, Nanase!" Rin called out to Haru before she could slip into the water. He almost cringed at the death glare that the shorter and smaller girl sent him as she adjusted her long hair beneath her swimming cap and her goggles. For someone so small (he'll never say that to her face, he values his life, thank you very much!), she sure had a fierce glare, especially for a nine-year-old. "Do you want to join the relay with me?"_

_The grin on his face was so bright that Makoto could swear for a moment that his teeth are nearly gleaming._

_There was silence for several moments._

"…_Excuse me?"_

**XXXXXX**

"I can still make it in time." Tachibana Makoto muttered to himself around a mouthful of toast as he put on his shoes, calling out to his mother before actually leaving the house. "Kaa-san, I'm leaving now!"

"Have a good day!" His mother called from the kitchen even as he closed the shoji door behind him, with the calls of his younger twin siblings echoing behind Makoto as he did so.

The seventeen-year-old teen then started making his way down a familiar route that he had walked thousands of times, and could probably walk with his eyes closed – towards a certain house that is in a street across from his, located in one of the quieter residential areas in Iwatobi where several of the older houses are located.

Makoto's face brightened as he spotted an old woman wearing a long white apron over a blue kimono coming out of a house, clearly about to go shopping.

"Good morning, Tamura-san." Makoto greeted politely like he always did every morning whenever he runs into one of his neighbours.

"Good morning, Makoto-chan." The old woman smiled at the boy whom she had watched grow up. She then fished about in her basket before handing Makoto a slice of freshly baked bread wrapped in a cloth. "Take this with you."

"No… I've already eaten breakfast." Makoto tried to refuse, but the old woman smiled.

"Take this to Haru-chan." Tamura smiled knowingly at him, and Makoto chuckled nervously before taking the bread.

"T-Thank you very much." Makoto chuckled nervously before moving on his way to his destination, walking up the usual flight of stairs with the white torii gate, his sharp ears catching a soft 'mew' behind a clump of bushes growing by the sides.

A tiny white kitten with its tail curled around the body mewed at Makoto, and he chuckled, stopping and kneeling down to scratch the kitten on the head. He knew this kitten. The kitten's mother who had just passed away approximately a month ago is extremely fond of his childhood friend, and somehow always took it upon herself to guard her house until Haru returns.

Haru is extremely fond of the cat as well, feeding her fish and such every now and then. And when she had passed away, and Haru had learned that the cat had left behind a tiny kitten, that same affection was passed onto the kitten who seemed to share the same affection for Haru that its mother had.

Makoto chuckled, scratching the kitten beneath its chin. "Good morning," he smiled before making his way up the stairs and towards a house that looks rather old but well maintained. There is even a mailbox on the outside, with a name plaque with the name 'Nanase' painted on it.

Makoto pressed the doorbell, as is his routine, and waited patiently. When there was no answer after several moments, he then took several steps backwards and craned his neck upwards to look at the second floor bedroom that had the windows shut with blue curtains covering the inside.

Makoto sighed. He knew where the occupant of the house would be now. "Oh, come on," he almost groaned as he made his way to the back of the house where he knew the back door will be unlocked.

Sure enough, the back door is unlocked, and he then entered the house, removing his shoes before he entered. "Excuse me." Makoto called out politely, even as he entered the house that he knew so well by now, as he had been over here so many times, and had spent majority of his childhood having sleepovers with his childhood friend in this very house.

The olive-haired teen then made his way towards the bathroom area and saw a set of light purple pyjamas thrown in the laundry basket, with the bathroom door shut. "Naturally, she's here." Makoto sighed to himself.

Whereas when he was younger, he had no qualms about just walking into the bathroom where a girl might or might not be wearing anything, when he had grown into a teenager and an adolescent boy, he had taken to respecting his friend's privacy and gender. Childhood friend or not, she is still a girl. A young woman.

"Haru? Are you in there?" Makoto called out through the bathroom door, rapping on it lightly, wondering if the girl had fallen asleep in the bath or something.

There was a light splash inside before a rather muffled voice answered. "Yeah. I'll be right out."

Five minutes later, the bathroom door slid opened, and a petite pretty teenage girl a head and a half shorter than Makoto emerged, dressed in the female school uniform of Iwatobi High School, only without the blazer. There was even a damp towel around her shoulders, and she is currently towelling her sleek black hair dry, which just reaches a little below her shoulders.

"Good morning, Haru-chan." Makoto greeted as is his routine.

Nanase Haruka stared at him blankly with her blue eyes as she towelled her hair dry. "I told you to lay off with the –chan," she deadpanned, obvious that this is a conversation that they've had countless times in the past. "You're gonna be late." She stated as she walked out of the bathroom area and towards the living area.

"That's my line." Makoto sighed, following her out and towards the kitchen where Haru proceeded to put on a dark blue apron hanging on the hook and started cooking her breakfast.

Makoto stared, speechless for about five minutes as he watched Haru frying a piece of fish in the frying pan that she's using, flipping it with expert ease almost as if she's done it a million times before which she probably did.

When Haru's grandmother had passed away when they were in their first year of middle school, Makoto had panicked then, as her parents were often away on some business trip, thus leaving the old lady, who had been Haru's maternal grandmother to raise her by herself. And when Grandmother Tomoe had passed away, Makoto had been worried that Haru's parents will want to take their daughter away with them.

Surprisingly, Haru had been very stubborn, and had refused to budge an inch when their parents have wanted to take her away. In the end, Haru's parents have agreed to leave their daughter in Iwatobi on the condition that Haru calls them every night, and that Makoto's mother will check in on her every now and then.

While Makoto is relieved and all at that point in time that Haru won't leave Iwatobi and him, he can't help wondering at that time what kind of parents would willing leave their twelve-year-old daughter all alone in a big and empty house, basically leaving her to raise herself. Sure, Haru's parents send her money every month and such for necessities, but will it kill them to at least come back more than a few times a year to spend time with their daughter?

Haru had always spent celebrations like Christmas and New Year's over at the Tachibanas, and Makoto's parents have always made sure that the petite girl never spent her birthdays alone, with Makoto's mother making Makoto bring his childhood friend over to the Tachibana house after some celebration that they have with their friends.

When they were younger, Haru had often had sleepovers at the Tachibanas, with both Haru and Makoto playing video games until they have fallen asleep. Makoto's younger twin siblings have both adored Haru as well, as she had often helped Makoto to babysit them when they were younger. Ren, Makoto's younger brother in particular had adored Haru, and Makoto had suspected that Ren might have a bit of a crush on Haru.

"Wait, why are you grilling fish?" Makoto cried, resisting the urge to throw his hands up in the air with exasperation. Didn't she just have that for breakfast _and_ dinner the previous day?

"I haven't had breakfast," was Haru's statement of the year answer.

There was a light _ting_ from behind them just then, and Makoto turned only to see toasted bread popping out of the toaster, already a crisp brown. "Toast and fish?" Makoto sighed, wondering if he should be worried about Haru's strange eating habits.

If his mother and Makoto himself hadn't made her, Haru would probably happily eat mackerel for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or not even eat anything at all. Her slim figure is probably due to her strange eating ways, though Haru could eat as much as she wants to, and never gets fat, much to Makoto's envy who always had to be careful about what he eats.

**XXXXXX**

"So?" Haru sighed, glancing at Makoto beside her as the pair made the short ten minute or so walk towards their school. "Why did you come get me?"

"You didn't show up for the opening assembly yesterday." Makoto reminded her with a gentle smile.

"I called in sick, didn't I?" Haru deadpanned, and Makoto sighed.

More like she overslept and decided that getting up for school is too troublesome.

"Do you know which class you're in then?" Makoto asked with a raised brow, and Haru closed her mouth and looked away pointedly. "We're in the same class again." He grinned. After all, Haru and Makoto have been in the same class ever since they have first started school in kindergarten. "Class 1. We've got a new lady as our homeroom teacher." Makoto barely restrained his amusement from showing as he recalled how the boys in his class have reacted upon learning that a lady teacher is their homeroom teacher. "They already gave her a nickname. She teaches classical literature but she's a little on the odd side…"

Haru's mind started to drift away as she nodded absent-mindedly to whatever that Makoto is saying, her eyes going towards the sparkling blue waters of the ocean that they're walking past. Haru looked longingly towards the ocean, wanting to just swim in it, but she knew better, especially after having come down with a really bad cold that almost developed into pneumonia one year and was almost hospitalised because of it. Mrs Tachibana was really worried then, and Haru felt almost bad for worrying the nice lady.

She sees more of Makoto's family than she even sees her own that even Makoto's parents sees her as their own daughter, and Makoto's younger twin siblings sees her as their older sister. Ren and Ran even affectionately address her as 'Haru-nee'. One time in middle school during one of the usual Friday night dinners that Haru always spends with the Tachibana family, Makoto's mother had even jokingly stated that she wouldn't mind if Haru marries Makoto. Haru didn't react or show anything, but Makoto's face had turned red enough to rival that of a tomato.

'_It needs to get warmer so I can swim in the ocean.'_ Haru thought absent-mindedly.

After a moment, Makoto soon realised that Haru wasn't listening to him, but was instead staring at the ocean with longing in her eyes. He then smiled and looked down at the shorter girl. "I hope it gets warmer soon so you can swim," he commented, and Haru looked away with a huff, much to Makoto's amusement.

* * *

Makoto and Haru made it to their classroom and slipped into their seats ten minutes before the bell went off. Much to Haru's relief, she had a back window seat next to Makoto whom she had been sitting next to in terms of class seating arrangement ever since they've first started school.

Haru stared out of the window absent-mindedly, supporting her chin with her right hand, barely noticing it even as their classmates started to file into the classroom and settling down into their seats.

'_I wonder how he's doing now…'_ Haru thought sadly, recalling what had gone down on that night nearly four years ago.

Their homeroom teacher, a pretty lady with soft brown hair and eyes, looking as if she should be on the front cover of a fashion magazine begun roll call, calling out name after name. Finally, she reached Haru's name who almost didn't hear it as she was so lost in her thoughts.

"Nanase Haruka?" The teacher called out questioningly, noticing the mark that she's put down next to the name the previous day, marking the student as absent, and wondering if she is here today. "Is she here today?"

"Yes, she's here, Ma'am!" Makoto called out, drawing their teacher's attention to the back where they were seated, even—much to Makoto's dismay—nearly half the boys in their class. Haru might not look it, but she is _extremely_ popular with the boys ever since their middle school days when she is first starting to blossom. Probably, it is her icy attitude and the fact that she doesn't speak much that entices the boys so much.

"Oh, you're right!" The teacher exclaimed, noticing a face that she hasn't seen before in the vacant seat next to the window in the back. "You were absent yesterday, right? I'm Amakata Miho, your new homeroom teacher." She smiled warmly at Haru. "Nice to meet you."

**XXXXXX**

Makoto and Haru were the first ones out of the classroom the moment that the school bell had gone off for lunch hour, ignoring the gossip and talk that the rest of their classmates were having amongst themselves, and debating just what kind of job that 'Ama-chan' must have prior to becoming a teacher.

"I didn't bring lunch." Haru told Makoto even as they made their way towards the rooftop to spend their lunch hour, as is their routine, seeing as the rooftop is quieter, as compared to their classroom.

"Want to buy something then?" Makoto suggested, and Haru stared at him. Fighting through the sea of students just to buy something from the cafeteria? No, thank you. "Or do you want some of this?" He held out several pieces of dried squid. "Squid."

Haru stared at the several pieces of dried squid without saying anything for several moments before a loud voice called out their names—or rather, their _nicknames._

"Haru-chan! Mako-chan!" Both juniors turned only to see an energetic blonde waving to them at the bottom of the stairs. He is wearing a red tie, so that must mean that he is a freshman, as the juniors (the second years) wore green ties and the seniors blue. "It's been forever!" He grinned a hundred watt smile at them. "I'll be joining you here at Iwatobi High School."

Silence.

The two childhood friends then looked at each other in confusion, wondering who the blonde is. "'Mako-chan'?" Makoto echoed in confusion.

"'Haru-chan'?" Haru echoed at the same time.

'Haru-chan' is the name that only her family or Makoto's parents calls her by. 'Haru', on the other hand, is the name that she only allows Makoto to call her by. Everyone else tends to call her 'Haruka' or even 'Nanase'.

The two then realised who the blonde is as a childhood memory came to the fore of their minds where a rather child-like and high voice cried out, "Haru-chan! Mako-chan! Rinrin!"

Both Haru and Makoto turned and stared at the blonde who is beaming excitedly at them. "Nagisa?" They echoed in unison, staring at the blonde in disbelief, as they hadn't seen him ever since their swimming club was shut down back when they were still in elementary school.

Hazuki Nagisa only grinned in response.

* * *

"How many years has it been?" Makoto wondered on the rooftop as the three of them looked out over the walls of the rooftop that overlooks an empty swimming pool. "I don't think that I saw you after the swimming club was shut down."

"Yep, because I went to a different school." Nagisa said brightly, sipping on his juice box. Something caught his eye just then, and he brightened, leaning over the sides of the rooftop, looking as if he would fall off at any moment, much to Makoto's horror. "There are cherry blossoms next to the pool!" He said excitedly, recalling the enormous cherry blossom tree in the school courtyard when they were kids. "Weren't there cherry blossom trees at the elementary school, Haru-chan?"

Haru sighed to herself. "Like what I'm saying, can you stop calling me that?" she grumbled.

"But that's your name, Haru-chan."

"But that pool is old and not in use. There's no swim club either." Makoto told Nagisa, changing the subject expertly.

"Where do you swim then?" Nagisa asked, a confused look on his face upon hearing that there isn't a swim club in the school.

Haru was silent for several moments. "I quit swimming competitively," she said bluntly, pushing some rather unwanted memories to the side.

"What?" Nagisa was bewildered and confused all at once. "Why? Why'd you quit? I was all excited about getting to swim with you again in high school!" The torrent of words came out like a hurricane from the blonde chatterbox.

"We're not little kids anymore. Things aren't the way that they used to be."

"Haru-chan." Nagisa gave Haru a rather sad puppy eyed look.

"Well, she stopped swimming competitively, but she still loves the water." Makoto cut in before Haru could say something that she will regret. He grinned at Haru. "Haru can't live without being in water." He teased. "During the summer, she swims in the ocean, and she was even soaking in the tub this morning."

"What does that have to do with swimming?" Nagisa was confused. "That just means that she likes baths. Ah!" His face brightened up as a ridiculous idea presented itself in his head. "How about a hot springs club?" He suggested, clinging onto Haru's right arm. "Let's start a hot springs club!"

"I can't stand the heat." Haru answered bluntly, trying to pry Nagisa off of her.

And it is true. After all, whenever she went to the hot springs whenever Makoto's mother invited her with the rest of the Tachibana family during one of their yearly trips to the hot springs resort of Hokkaido, Haru could never stand to stay in the hot springs for long.

"Don't be like that!" Nagisa wailed.

Makoto chuckled to himself. _'Nagisa hasn't changed one bit,'_ he thought.

"Okay then. Then how about—"

"I refuse."

"I didn't say anything yet."

Makoto then raised an eyebrow as he noticed a female student with dark red hair done up in a high ponytail behind them who was having lunch with another girl with hazel brown hair done up in a bun. The girl looked strangely familiar, and even gave him a small nod before returning to her conversation with her friend.

Haru who had noticed where Makoto is looking turned over her shoulder only to spot the same two girls. Her gaze rested on the redhead for a fraction of a second longer before she sighed and picked up the empty juice box that she was drinking out of.

"Let's go. Lunch hour is almost over," she stated, chucking the juice box into the trashcan by the door of the rooftop, being followed by the other two boys.

"Hey, have you heard?" Nagisa asked as the trio walked down the stairs, heading back towards their classrooms once more. "The swimming club that we went to in grade school is going to be torn down soon." He hopped down the rest of the stairs.

Haru's eyes widened slightly as she remembered what had happened the last time she had gone back to their old swimming club. Not even Makoto knew what had happened during that winter, as she had never told him. Probably, the only one who does is their old swimming coach who had been there that day.

"So before that happens, why don't we pay a visit?" Nagisa suggested.

"To dig that up?" Makoto asked curiously, remembering the promise that the four of them have made that day when they have buried their old championship trophy.

"Exactly!" Nagisa said brightly. "We can sneak in at night…"

"You can go by yourself." Haru stated bluntly.

"Don't say that! Come with us, Haru-chan!"

"I'm not going."

"Don't you think it'll be fun?" Nagisa pleaded, turning the dreaded puppy dog eyes on Haru. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have as much an effect on her as it did on Nagisa's family, particularly his older sisters.

"I don't."

Makoto chuckled upon seeing Nagisa trying but failing to persuade her. Haru had always been very stubborn. It is one of the traits that Makoto had always liked about her. Even so, Makoto had always been able to persuade Haru to do things that she will refuse to do so in the beginning.

"Why don't you just humour him?" Makoto said teasingly.

"No, it's too much effort."

Makoto grinned wickedly at Nagisa. "But there's a pool there," he said, one hand at his chin and pretending to think aloud. At the slight twitch of Haru's brow, he knew that he had gotten her. "A pool is much bigger than a bathtub."

The two boys were having so much fun with the only girl amongst the trio that they completely missed seeing a shadow just behind the door of the rooftop that slinked away quickly before anyone could see her.

As Haru turned around to face Makoto, a hopeful look on her face at the words 'pool', he knew that he's gotten her.

Hook, line and sinker.

* * *

_A/N: This must be the third sports anime that I'm writing FF for. Anyway, this idea has been hatching in my mind for sometime now, and I only decided to start writing it now. So Haru will be a little different from the Haru that is depicted in canon, particularly his (her) fetish for stripping whenever he likes and walking about with a swimsuit at home._

_Anyway, the eventual pairing will be Makoto/Haru, but it won't be so soon. And seriously, Rin is seriously asking for a punch in the face with the way that he is acting in the anime, though he had more or less redeemed himself in the last episode of the anime._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this story, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!_


	2. Rin

**Pairings:** Makoto/Haru. Nagisa/Rei. Mikoshiba/Gou

**Warnings:** AU Universe. OOC. Gender swap. More expressive Haru. Jealous Rin. Jealous Makoto.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Free! and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Two: Rin**

Haru was solely regretting ever agreeing to go along with Nagisa's insane plan three hours later as the three teenagers stood in front of a crumbling and deserted building that looks almost haunted, when just a few short years ago, was that of a bustling and proud swimming complex of a swimming club.

"The place is pretty trashed." Makoto could only say the moment that he'd found his tongue. He wonders if it is too late to back out now, as he could already feel the slight tremors of fear creeping up around him as he looked at the old abandoned building of their swimming complex.

Ever since he was a child, he had always been afraid of the dark and the supernatural. He had always found it ironic that Haru never was afraid of things like that, yet he had always been. Hence why he had always been the butt of jokes ever since kindergarten for fearing things that girls does, and yet Haru doesn't.

Nagisa rummaged about in his backpack before drawing out a small packet of what looks like powder or some salt. "Here, just in case," he said. "Purifying salt." Makoto looked confused for a moment as he stared down at the…purifying salt. "They say that this place is haunted." He said brightly, apparently oblivious to Makoto's growing fear.

"Don't scare me." Makoto said weakly.

"I'm not lying." Nagisa cut in. "People have been seeing shadows moving around and hearing sobbing voices."

Makoto's eye twitched slightly, and he looked as if he wants nothing more than to run as fast as he could.

Next to him, Haru sighed inwardly. Yeah, she has heard similar stories before after the building of their old swimming club was shut down. Some of those stories were downright outrageous, like the reason behind the swimming club being forced to shut down was because of some ghosts, and that someone had drowned in the pool, and now, their spirit was haunting the place.

The raven head didn't even budge an inch as Nagisa enthusiastically threw 'purifying salt' on both her and Makoto which Haru is ready to bet is probably just some common salt that Nagisa had brought from home, or worse still, not even salt at all…

Haru frowned as she felt a light sprinkle on her skin, and pressed her fingertip against it, licking the substance to make sure. "Hey."

"W-What is it?" Makoto looked really freaked out now, and Haru can't blame him in the slightest, knowing just how scared Makoto was of the dark and all things supernatural. One time when they were in their first year of middle school when his little sister, Ran, had managed to persuade Makoto to watch a scary movie with her, Makoto couldn't sleep at all that night, and had spent all night shivering as he cuddled against Haru.

"This isn't salt." Haru stated bluntly, showing them the slight traces of the 'purifying salt' on her fingertip. "It's sugar."

Silence.

* * *

"Well, it's all mental anyway." Nagisa was laughing awkwardly with a flashlight in his hand ten minutes later after managing to persuade a scared Makoto to enter the building with them. "So sugar will still get the job done."

Haru sighed to herself. Maybe it is a good idea if Nagisa don't put down 'Exorcist' as one of his future job prospects once he is in junior year.

"It _is_ one of the oldest mistakes out there." Makoto said cheerfully, trying not to sound scared even as he clenched the shovel in his hands tightly. Anyone who is watching them now might just think that they're going to bury a dead body.

_Clank._

Makoto jumped and almost shrieked as he scrambled to hide behind Haru the way that he always did whenever they were kids, and he got scared of something or the other. Some of the more cruel kids when they were in elementary school had often said once that it is almost like Haru is the 'white knight' and Makoto is the 'princess'.

Haru glanced downwards only to see an empty drink can rolling away from their feet. Nagisa was silent for a moment before he turned around to face them, his face being illuminated by the flashlight that he held beneath his chin, giving him a slightly sinister look.

"My foot hit an empty can." Nagisa said apologetically.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Makoto wasn't amused even as he kept behind Haru as they continued their trek down the corridor.

Haru glanced around at the walls and the corridor, remembering the number of times when she had walked this path back during her time in the swimming club, and recalling seeing the many kids in swimsuits loitering around the corridor, or even kids wearing the jersey of their swimming club.

"You always were scared of the dark, Mako-chan." Nagisa almost sniggered in his hand, obviously not forgetting campfire night during the year before Rin, Makoto and Haru have left the club, having moved onto middle school. Nagisa, Rin, their coach and all of their other club mates who were present have found out the hard way that Makoto is terrified of the dark and all things supernatural when Rin had pretended to be a 'ghost' during Dare Night.

"You're not helping any!" Makoto wailed.

"Sorry." Nagisa don't sound very sorry at all, much to Makoto's chagrin. The blonde paused outside a room with the door slightly ajar just then.

"W-What is it this time? And if it is something like 'I saw something in there'—" Makoto looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here, not that Haru could blame him. The blood circulation in her arm is starting to get cut off, especially with Makoto's strong grip on it.

"No, it's not that." Nagisa grinned even as he pushed opened the door wider, with the door making a groaning and creaking sound as it did so, much to Makoto's fright. "It's our old changing room."

The changing room hasn't changed a bit, with the numerous coloured lockers and the benches. During their time in the swimming club, each member was allotted a personal locker for their own usage. The female members were given pink lockers whilst the boys were given blue. And by the sides of the rows of these lockers was painted a marine animal, with a dolphin for the girls and a crab for the boys.

"This brings back memories." Nagisa remarked, flashing the flashlight in his hand from right to left, thus causing the light to bounce from one end to the other in the dark room.

"It's not as trashed inside as I expected." Makoto commented even as they made their way further in, finally arriving at the lounge area. It is fairly bare and deserted now. In fact, the only thing that still remains in the room are a few benches and the photographs hanging on the walls that showcases the previous swimmers of the swimming club that have won the championship at swimming tournaments. "This is…the lounge?"

Excited upon catching sight of the numerous photographs still in their frames hanging on the wall of the lounge, Nagisa took off towards it, waving both Haru and Makoto over. "Hurry up! Come and take a look!"

"What is it?" Makoto asked curiously even as they both made their way towards the excitable blonde.

"Look."

There were several photographs hanging on the walls – all obviously taken after a championship win of some sort. Some of the photographs have already turned yellowed with age, and it was obvious that it must have been decades since it was taken. It was only the more recent photographs that had one or two girls in their midst, since co-ed swimming competitions weren't even established until a couple of years ago.

It is only about three years ago when the Swimming Board had legalised the rule about co-ed swimming tournaments, since with recent years, there weren't enough swimmers of either gender to form a complete team for several schools.

Nagisa pointed at one of the bottom frames in which held a photo that all three recognised immediately, as it was the photo that their old swimming coach had taken of them when they have won their last medley relay in the swimming club. Nagisa and Rin have wide grins over their faces, their championship medals hanging around their necks, with Rin slinging an arm over Haru's shoulders. Makoto stood next to Haru, with a small smile on his face whilst Haru was looking away from the camera, not even smiling.

"This is the picture from when we won the medley relay."

Haru stared at the photo for several moments without saying anything, remembering it like it was yesterday when they've won the medley relay as a first time team. She still remembered how difficult it was for Nagisa to convince Rin to allow him to join the team as their fourth member, since Nagisa was nearly an entire year younger than them, and thus, was weaker in terms of stamina and power.

"_The four of us won this together, so it doesn't make sense for one person to take it home. So let's put it in a time capsule and dig it up when we're grown up."_

"Haru? Let's go."

"Yeah."

Nagisa led the way down the hallways, with Makoto clinging onto Haru fearfully, wishing fervently that he hadn't agreed to this 'expedition' at all. Why couldn't they just come during the daytime to dig it up?

"Think the marker is still there?" Nagisa wondered.

"Can we pick up the pace a little?" Makoto squeaked, clinging onto the back of Haru's jacket fearfully. Something that moved in the shadows caught his eye just then, and the olive haired boy froze in his tracks, thus forcing Haru to stop in her step as well.

As one, the two childhood friends turned towards the direction of the darkness and the shadows where they distinctly saw _something_ move. And almost like a horror movie, a silhouette started to make its way towards them slowly. Makoto froze, almost expecting for something horrifying to appear.

A tall teen wearing a cap that concealed his face from view, also dressed in black track pants and a jacket made his way out from within the shadows. Makoto squeaked, wondering if he is human or a ghost. Behind Makoto, Haru narrowed her eyes. She will recognise _him_ anywhere, even if he'd changed his face.

_So he's back,_ Haru thought to herself, not knowing whether to feel happy about it or not.

"Yo." Matsuoka Rin greeted them, using one finger to push his cap up slightly so that his face is at least visible.

"Uh?" Nagisa was confused upon seeing the teen greet them like they knew each other. "Who's there?" He whispered to Makoto.

"I can't tell." Makoto squeaked, still unsure if this teen is human or a ghost.

"I didn't think I'd run into you guys here." Rin continued, almost as if Nagisa and Makoto have never spoken at all, tugging at the band of his cap and letting it snap back.

That action was almost familiar to both Nagisa and Makoto – with both boys remembering a certain someone who used to do that with his swimming goggles every single time before he actually dived into the water.

"Rin!" "Rin-chan!"

Makoto and Nagisa echoed as one even as Matsuoka Rin removed his cap, allowing his amber hair to fall down around his face. Like all of them, Rin had grown up since their days in the swimming club. He had lost most of his baby fat and boyish looks, taking on a more slender and handsome appearance. He had also grown taller, being nearly a foot shorter than Makoto who is easily the tallest out of all of them.

Haru said nothing even as she continued staring at Rin. She had never told anyone – not even Makoto, what had transpired between her and Rin after the latter had left for Australia. The last time she had seen him had been during the second year of middle school when he had came back for Christmas. But let's just say that their encounter wasn't exactly pleasant.

"You're back from Australia!" Nagisa cheered, almost throwing himself atop Rin, much to his displeasure.

"What are you doing here though?" Makoto wondered, neglecting to mention the fact that he'd almost mistaken Rin as a ghost.

"This must be fate!" Nagisa chirped, seemingly unaware of the sudden tension between Haru and Rin as they locked eyes with each other. And not in the romantic way either. "Some unseen force brought us all here at this exact—"

"It's been awhile, Haru." Rin interrupted Nagisa, effectively cutting him off.

The redhead didn't take his eyes off of Haru, his eyes roaming appreciatively over the raven head's form.

Like all of them, she had blossomed and had matured a lot. Her silky raven hair had now reached a little past her shoulders, and even though Rin knew that it isn't in Haru's nature to do anything special to her hair, her raven locks looked extremely silky and shiny. Her face had also lost much of the baby fat, maturing more into that of a young woman's. And with the amount of time that she had spent in the water, her skin is perfectly flawless and well moisturised. And beneath the clothes that she's wearing, Rin could almost see the curves of her body.

Not that he's trying that hard to notice them.

It had been nearly two years since he'd last seen his old girlfriend after all, with the last time being when he was in his second year of middle school when he had returned to Japan for Christmas. Rin still felt like a complete ass for making her so upset, but he still feel that it was for the best, since their relationship was just hindering his goals.

"You're still hanging out with these guys?" Rin almost sneered. "You never learn."

Haru's eye twitched slightly, but she didn't betray her emotions even when both Nagisa and Makoto seemed rather shocked and hurt at Rin's tone and his words.

"What are you talking about, Rin?" Makoto asked, rather hurt.

Haru let out a slight huff. "And what about you?" she questioned, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Have you learned anything?"

"Haru?"

Rin grinned even as he massaged the joints in his neck. "I'm glad you asked," he said. "Why don't I show you? Let's race, Haru."

"Huh? Now?" Nagisa looked from Rin to Haru and back again, perplexed, trying to wrap his blonde head around the current events.

Haru let out a sigh. Did Rin happen to forget that the building of their old swimming club had already been shut down for _years?_ What are the chances of the pool still being useable?

"Did you leave your brains behind in Australia?" she asked bluntly, and Rin twitched. Makoto's lips twitched, and he used his hand to hide his grin. Nagisa on the other hand had no such qualms, and snickered to himself. "This place has been closed down for _years._ Do you really think that the pool is still useable or if it even has water?"

Silence.

Rin cleared his throat to cover up his embarrassment. Seems like Haru's body isn't the only thing that had grown. Back when they're kids, Haru could easily forget everything the moment someone had said the word 'pool'. It is a wonder how she managed to keep her top grades in school despite spending much of her free time in the water.

"Anyway, did you guys come for this?" Rin pulled out a familiar light blue trophy with the flowing red and white championship ribbon, with a gold figurine of a swimmer at the top of it.

"Oh!" Nagisa's eyes dawned in recognition. "Our trophy!"

"I don't need this thing anymore," was all Rin said as he let the trophy fall to the ground with a light clang, before turning on his heels and leaving.

"Rin…" Makoto stared at Rin's departing back with some hurt in his eyes, unable to believe that this is really the same cheerful boy when they're kids that had pestered Haru for _weeks_ on end to just participate together with him in the medley relay.

"He's kinda changed." Nagisa finally said.

_He's indeed changed. And not for the better,_ Haru thought to herself sadly. _What happened in Australia to change him like this? He wasn't like this in the past. Is winning all that matters to you now, Rin? You've changed, and not for the better._

**XXXXXX**

Lunch hour the next day was spent with all three of them taking their lunches out to a quiet part of the school. Though it's more like it's just Makoto and Nagisa who are eating, and Haru is just taking the chance of lunch hour to catch a little more sleep.

None of the three have said anything about Rin after parting for home the previous night, but it had been on all their minds. Makoto in particular was especially concerned. He knew that Rin and Haru have shared a special relationship with each other when they're kids. He had sometimes gotten a little jealous, seeing how much Haru had trusted Rin, and how little time Rin had needed to get Haru to open up to him. And somehow, Makoto had a funny feeling that there is something more than friendship and a simple rivalry going on between Haru and Rin.

"I don't get it though." Nagisa frowned, arms crossed over his chest. "Rin-chan was really weird."

"It's been years since we've met him. Of course he's changed." Haru stated bluntly.

"He's changed _too_ drastically if you ask me." Makoto muttered, puzzled over the fact why Haru doesn't seem to be too affected by Rin's sudden arrival and change. Just what is going on anyway?

"Maybe so." Haru sat up, combing with her fingers through her hair, straightening it out. Out of the corner of her eye, she then saw a redhead girl that bears a remarkable resemblance to Rin, and a brunette girl staring at them. Both were wearing red ties, so that means that they're freshmen. Haru stared at the redhead for a little longer than necessary before nodding at her.

Matsuoka Gou nodded back to Haru in respect.

"Haru, you know her?" Makoto asked curiously, having noticed the exchange between the two. For some reason, he finds the redhead really familiar…

"Something like that."

**XXXXXX**

Matsuoka Gou frowned to herself even as she pressed the doorbell of the Nanase residence for the umpteenth time. There was no answer, but she is pretty sure that Haru-sempai is at home.

She had met Haru once, when she had went to watch the medley relay that her brother had participated in before he'd gone to Australia for studies. At that point in time, the rule for co-ed swimming competitions had just been established, and thus, there weren't many girls participating in the competition. Thus why Gou had been so interested in Haru and had looked up to her greatly.

Gou and her brother still kept in contact via mails and phone calls, and though her brother had never said anything much about his personal life or even his love life, as a girl, Gou can tell by the star struck expression that had appeared on her brother's face whenever Haru-sempai was brought up that her brother had liked her as more than a friend.

She has no completely no idea what had happened between them two years ago, but she knew that something _did_ happen that had soured their relationship.

Sighing to herself as there is no answer from within the house, Gou then turned to go back home only to pause in her tracks as she saw the smiling visages of Makoto and Nagisa behind her. Gou blinked owlishly. "Uh…"

"It's been a long time." Makoto smiled. "Can we have a word?"

"S-Sure."

* * *

"I see. So you also chose Iwatobi High School, Gou-chan." Nagisa mused after listening to what Gou, the younger sister of Matsuoka Rin has to say.

Gou frowned. "Don't call me Gou," she complained. Honestly, what are her parents thinking when they have named her? And come to think of it, why did they give her brother such a girlish name and give her such a boyish name? "Everybody calls me Kou."

"Huh? Why?" Nagisa was honestly perplexed. "Your name is Gou, like the Sengoku warlord Azai Nagamasa's third daughter, right?"

"Yeah…" Gou muttered. Well, she had a good idea why her parents have wanted to give her such a boyish name, given that her mother is quite a history fanatic. "But the typical reading is Kou, so call me that. That would be the nice thing to do."

Makoto chuckled nervously to himself upon seeing the two freshmen arguing in front of him, not knowing just what to say. "Uh, putting that stuff aside—"

"That _stuff?"_ Gou glared daggers and knives and everything that is sharp and pointy at Makoto, making him fear for his life for a moment.

"Sorry." The olive haired teen managed. "But what are you doing at Haru's place?" And on that note, how does Gou even know where Haru lives?

"Uh…" Gou hesitated for a moment before she scratched at her cheek idly with one finger. "I wanted to ask her about my brother." She admitted at last. "They were pretty close when they were younger, so I thought that Onii-chan might have said something to her now that he's back."

Makoto was silent for a moment, pondering over their last meeting with Rin at the abandoned building of their old swimming club. "So he really is back from Australia then?" he stated more than questioned, and Gou nodded meekly.

"He returned last month, and he's attending Samezuka Academy now." Gou told them. Naturally, her mother is far from pleased that her son will be spending _more_ time away from home. She had hardly seen him ever since he'd left for Australia to attend school three years ago. "It's a boarding school, so he hasn't come home. My mother is worried about him too."

"Samezuka?" Makoto echoed. "The swimming powerhouse?"

Gou nodded. "They just became a co-ed school three years ago, so the girls are the minority there," she said. "Really…" She sighed. "I really don't know what my brother is thinking. That's why I thought that he might have said something to Haru-sempai at least if he had returned." She admitted.

"Well, Haru didn't say anything about it." Makoto said at last, deciding not to inform Gou about the less than desirable meeting with Rin that they had with the redhead last night.

"Really…" Nagisa sighed. "What is going on here?"

Makoto has no answer for him.

**XXXXXX**

Nanase Haruka stared blankly at her visitor on her doorstep.

She was definitely _not_ expecting for _him_ to turn up on her front doorstep a mere day after they've met him again in the last place where she'd expected for their reunion to take place.

"What are you doing here, Rin?" Haru asked bluntly, staring blankly at the redhead standing across from her. "And how do you even know where I live?"

"I came to talk to you." Rin said, ignoring Haru's last question. "I couldn't do that yesterday because of those guys."

Haru's eyes flashed dangerously. "'Those guys' as you put it are my friends," she said. "And once upon a time, they are yours too. Unless you don't think of them as friends anymore." Rin was silent. "Rin, what happened in Australia? Why have you become like this?"

Rin was silent for a long time. "Let's just say that I got my eyes opened," he said at last. "I came here to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Come to Samezuka with me, Haru." Rin told Haru out of the blue, causing her to blink in surprise. "You're wasting your talent here with them. Come to Samezuka with me."

Silence.

"…I refuse." Haru said at last. "I have no interest in swimming competitively or even becoming the best. That is _your_ goal, and the reason why you'd gone to Australia three years ago. Besides, you made your message quite clear to me two years ago when we broke up. You haven't forgotten what you'd said, right?"

Rin flinched.

"_Let's break up. I can't have any distractions distracting me from my goal. Our relationship…is just a distraction from my goal."_

* * *

_A/N: Can I just say that this chapter is super awkward and super difficult to write? And damn, it really is difficult to write Haru in character! But as she's a girl in this one, she's going to be different from canon Haru. Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!_


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